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#1
09-15-2008, 09:43 PM
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It seems a shame that us "mere mortals" are excluded from attending. When I first heard about the expo I was really looking forward to going until I heard it was an industry event only. Seems to me if the industry is going about the business of selling it's products, what better way than to open it to the public. Boat shows are open to the public; car shows are open to the public; air shows are open to the public. What's up with the surf/kite industry?
Frank 
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#2
09-16-2008, 04:50 AM
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Quote:
There have been times when you could hardly walk to various parts of the show, there were that many people glutting the isles. It is a big opportunity for manufacturers and distributors to show retailers what is available, to answer questions. otherwise court them and to try to secure intent to order or actual orders. Sometimes the exhibitors are so busy you can't even interview them. That is just dealing with retailers, making critical impressions that could make or break a portion of the sales year. Retailers come from all over the USA, Canada, Central and South America. Manufacturers come from all over the world. Retailers may be interested in a lot more than kiting gear too, everything from bathing suits, tee shirts, shorts, jackets, trinkets, other board sports and more. They often need to make appointments with various exhibitors to secure time to see what is available. In busy years, there can be little time to cover everything in just three days. The show runs from about 9 to 6 pm and things are going nuts most of that time just with the industry present. There are dozens of booths with live bathing suit and apparel models. They have seating for buyers with catalogs, order forms and the like. Many of these booths are closed off and limited just to credentialed buyers. Forget about easily taking pictures of many of these exhibits, even with press/photographer credentials. They are worried about competitors taking designs. I had a first this year, a guy from HQ Kites stopped me from shooting his booth seeking identification and intent. He thought I might be trying to copy his foil kite designs for rival Chinese manufacturers or something? I was just trying to help them out with some exposure, too funny. I even bought one of their foils for the snow a while back, have yet to use it though. Add twenty to fifty times as many consumers for all those activities and I doubt much business with retailers would get done. You couldn't even get near some booths. It costs a fortune to have a booth at the Expo too, tens of thousands of dollars. They nail you coming, going (literally) and at every opportunity with charges. If you want to plug in an extension cord, you have to pay one of the Expo's tradesmen to do it. Bottom line, consumers won't be brought into Surf Expo soon I suspect. There just isn't time or room and many of the exhibitors, non-kiting, fashion, skateboards, wakeboards, surfing might well have a cow for lost sales opportunities to retailers. Another approach might be to have days set aside for the trade with time when the show is open to consumers. It's an idea, would likely work easily with kiteboarding, not so sure about all those other exhibitors but it could be a good thing. It would likely cost the exhibitors a chunk more in upfront money and security would be a nightmare for some areas of the show like skateboarding. Still, they might pull it off. Still, who ultimately buys all this stuff and keeps the industry alive? You guessed it. That puts a burden on manufacturers to get the word out there. How are they doing? The Boardsports Category Surf Skate Wakeboard & Waterski Windsurf & Kiteboard The Beach Category Resort Coastal Home The Fashion Category Boutique Swim Checkout the floor plan of the show, it covers a very large area. At that the show occupies less than 1/4 of the 1450 ft. x 800 ft. building with over twice that area available in the convention complex. Despite that you still can't walk into some areas easily at times. http://www.surfexpo.com/Portals/0/pdf/S08/081908.pdf
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 09-16-2008 at 05:32 AM.
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#4
09-16-2008, 12:16 PM
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well, dealers and distributors do need a place to meet and do business...
a good retailer should bring it to the public... it was good to see more kite companies returning to the show...
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Ride On. Brad Lange Seven Kiteboarding, Islamorada, Florida Keys www.sevensports.com 305-853-KITE
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#5
09-17-2008, 09:43 AM
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I'm in the marine industry building the highest caliber custom race and pleasure boats worldwide for 25 years utilizing the highest tech materials, I burn thru more carbon fiber and core materials then the entire surf/snowboard industry. I contacted the show people in charge with vendors etc about looking into manufacturing boards etc, told them I wanted to visit the show and do a little market reserch to see if this industry is worth my time, I love surfing & kiteboarding so it appeals to me and seeing the level of composite tech rising within this market. I attend & display at yacht & composite trade show all over the world and was shocked at the level (or lack of) professionalism from the show management, I thought I talking to my local surfshop, the girl cracked me up with her attitude and questioned who I & my company was because she never heard of us even after I told her to check us out on the internet. She said I could only attend if I pay them something like $600 for a day pass, this is when I laughed outload, no thanks. Oh well
 A little advice to the managment of this industry; stop watching MTV
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#6
09-17-2008, 05:58 PM
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John, I feel your pain, I contacted those people also via email and didn't get a response until after the show. I am in aviation and also contacted them to try to get access to see if it was worth having a booth, for a travel related venture, but didn't get an answer until after the show. I have exhibited at helicopter trade shows, the manufacturers are there, the distributors are there, the public is welcome, how many people can drop 1.5 million on a single engine helicopter. Everyone is free to take photos, videos, whatever. I'm guessing that if the aisles are as packed as Rick says they are than they are only renting a very small portion of the convention center and reaming the participants. At Heli Expo there are dozens of fully assembled helicopters on display for sale, they use the entire convention center floor,in Orlando, and joe blow off the street still only pays under $200.00 to get in, a fair price for all the industry info and contacts you can gather/make in a day.
JP
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the sky is not the limit, it is my playground
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